The Afton Food Pantry is hosting its 5th annual Fighting Hunger Games Food Drive on Wednesday, October 7, from 7-9 p.m. Youth groups from Osmond, Smoot, Fairview, Afton, Grover and Auburn distributed door hangers yesterday and have committed to collect donations from doorsteps throughout the upper valley next Wednesday evening.
Sierra Mitchell, director of the pantry, says that this food drive is critical to the support of individuals in the Star Valley community who are at risk of food insecurity. “We need this food drive to be one of the most successful that we have had because we are bracing for what we believe will be very, very high winter numbers. We are just hoping that people can give a little and a little adds up to a lot.”
Historically well-supported, this drive brought the pantry 14,000 usable items last year, which has been a great blessing. Pantry staff members, however, are seeing a significant increase in numbers this year. “We are seeing some of the highest patron numbers that we have seen in the last four years. We are very concerned as to what this fall and winter will bring because we are not even to our more difficult season.”
Youth groups delivered over 5,000 door hangers to homes throughout the upper valley yesterday. The hangers offer a list of the most important items that are typically donated through this food drive, and a list of items that the pantry cannot use. Donors are encouraged to review these lists.
Mitchell emphasized that the pantry cannot accept home processed foods, such as home canned goods, or items that have expired. Anything that is older than October 2024 is unusable for the pantry. “Last year, we received over 1000 expired items. Those are not usable products. Please check your dates. It takes a lot of work to weed out expired items.”
Mitchell encourages donors to consider donating unique items such as spices. “Salt and pepper can make meal magic happen for a family.” Cooking oil is needed for most boxed meals. Baking ingredients are popular during the holidays, and hygiene supplies and baby items, including open packages of diapers, are always needed.
“This drive is easy for our donors, because all you have to do is glance through your pantry and set a few things on your doorstep,” says Mitchell. “The youth gathering the donations do their very best to pick up every donation, but sometimes, homes get missed.” If your donation is not picked up, please text her at 307-887-2814 and she will visit your home to pick the donations up. Donations can also be left at the Afton Town Hall, which is the pantry’s designated drop-off location year-round. The pantry doors are open for donations on Wednesdays and Thursday as well. “We try to make it as easy as possible.”
Once the donations have been collected and delivered to the pantry, staff and volunteers must hand count, sort and shelve everything, which takes about 2000 hours. “It’s a big undertaking. However, it’s our biggest food drive that we host. Typically, it can get us almost year to year.” Mitchell and her staff are concerned that this may not be the case through the 2025 holiday season and into the 2026 winter season.
“Every week, we are averaging anywhere from one to four brand new patrons to our door. For the last seven months, we have received new people every week,” says Mitchell. “We really need this food drive to be successful. The need is higher than it has been since the heart of COVID.”
With the significant increase in the cost of living since 2020, Mitchell and her staff have calculated various prices on grocery items. She used green beans as an example, stating that the price on that vegetable has increased by over 130%. “Everything has increased except for set income.” Additionally, over 3o% of the patrons that Afton’s pantry serves right now are living in a camp trailer, which is a startling indication of their need.
“Monetary donations help us fill the gaps” to purchase items such as rice, mashed potatoes and pasta, which are rarely received through the drive. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 1367, Afton, WY 83110. Donors can visit aftonfoodpantry.com to donate online or can send a donation through Venmo @AftonFoodPantry307.
“We are really thankful for our partnerships between the churches and all the entities that come together to make this successful. We are just coming into the season of great financial hardship for families, so we are very hopeful.”
